I'll take a lower quality AUD over a sloppily mixed SBD any day and this show is a case in point. Its a shame, though because I do hear a really good gig in here, but there's parts where not only are there next to no or even just no vocals in the mix - which is often here - there will even be parts where everything is low and/or uneven. Just too sonically disorienting is all. There's good stuff to wade through though, so I don't entirely discourage...

Big time sound issues.

Ugh, falling apart in the 2nd.

An earlier reviewer said something to the effect of this show being for "completists only."
Not only do I personally like the hell out of this, I can't imagine anyone that likes the Dead not totally getting off on this show.
I only briefly listened to part of this show when I first saw it. Having finally come back to it, I wish I had really listened to it all the way through first time. Its virtues far outweigh its vices.
This show offers a wonderful counterpoint to the huge number of shows that are mixed just ridiculously heavy on keyboards and vocals. I find it very refreshing to hear the guitars and bass so well. I can do without the vocals for a show just fine. It lets you hear the guitar and bass parts where they would frequently be very difficult to make out because of how high the vocals were usually mixed.
To me the lack of keyboards is anything but a flaw. This is the Fall of 1972. It just doesn't get any better. (A case for a tie can be made with Spring of 69, Spring of 1970, Fall of 1973, and 1974.) Jerry, Bob, and Phil were playing just exquisitely in the Fall of 1972. Jerry in particular was hitting unique licks at machine gun pace.
The primary thing I like about the Grateful Dead is the interplay between Jerry, Phil, and Bob. In mixes with keyboards it is all to frequent that they are mixed too high and Bob is mixed too low. That is not a good trade. (Phil is frequently mixed too low too--inexcusable since bass doesn't obscure the other instruments.)
TC knew how to play and add to their music without obscuring what the guitarists were doing. When TC left I wish they had just stood pat. I, for one, had absolutely no problem with how they sounded in 1970.
On their best days when the mix was also good, Keith and Brent were a positive addition. Unfortunately, it seems to me that more often they were wasted and falling onto their keyboards and catching themselves with their palms, yet mixed ridiculously high and drowning out Bob. Oh well, maybe they will release the 16 track recordings to us one of these days.
This show is very much worth a listen for anyone who really likes the Grateful Dead. As someone else mentioned, this is a musician's delight. Playing in the Band and the NFA-->GDTRFB-->NFA are killer.
I also really enjoyed Bertha (Phil has a great groove going and Jerry's solo is just killer) and Big River (nice to hear the guitars clearly without keyboards drowning everything else out).
Birdsong is perfect for this mix: It will transport you. Jerry's play in 1972 was just inspired. It is gorgeous.
The Playing is just exquisite. Even not being able to hear Bill very well it is still just stunning. A truly, truly great version. Do not miss it. I just listened to it three times in a row. Repeat: Do not miss it.
And I am waiting for someone to tell me they wish the vocals were louder at the end of it when they come back out into the main theme. Anyone?? Anyone???
Don't miss the Tennessee Jed, El Paso, and Friend of the Devil either.
The recording does have a couple of flaws. I wish Bill was just a little more audible, but not so much as to interfere with the uniqueness of getting to listen to the guitar parts so clearly. There are a few tunes where you don't have the guitarists mixed right, some of which may be due to degradation. And there are definitely parts where Phil's levels were mixed too high, resulting in distortion from over saturation of the tape. It's flawed, but it is still a masterpiece.
I'm giving this one 5 stars: Its uniqueness and the playing overcome its flaws.
I hope one of our resident magicians like Charlie Miller or Dan McDonald will like this show as much as I do and shine their light on it.

Anything from '72 is very satisfying. This show is under the radar. The set list has many uncommon aspects. The Stella and Not Fade are full on.
This show begins another 2 weeks of killer touring reminiscent of 10/17-11/1 and 9/15-10/2(!)
Don't let the sound issues deter you.

There is a sad vibe to this show, songs of death, longing, loss, despair and sadness here. Almost every song played at this show shares these themes. I don't believe they ever kicked off a show with Me & Bobby McGee before. I wonder if this vibe could partly be because of the news that the Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley had been killed the day before? The Dead were due to start a joint tour with the Allman Brothers a few days later in Texas.
The recording itself is pretty poor. All in all a very down show for the band.

The mix problems are severe. With a few puzzling exceptions early on (cumberland blues seems to have only drums, vocals, and Jerry), most of this recording contains the guitar and bass tracks, with just a hint of vocals and drums and no keys. The bass is over-saturated in many spots to make things worse.
It's an unacceptable quality recording in the normal sense, but it gives you a unique chance to really hear the harmonic interplay between Jerry, Bob, and Phil in a vintage '72 setlist. I think musicians who cover the Dead could find this interesting. A keyboard player in particular should have fun playing along with this for practice...pretend you're sitting in for Keith that night.

This was the only show they ever played on my birthday. It just so happens to have been in good ol' KC, too, my hometown and current residence.

The instrumental mix and levels aren't great either. Completists only.

Don't let my 3 star rating fool you-- this show is good but vocals are very low in the mix, if you like to hear jamming then this is the show for you- a great playin in the band and some fine 2nd set creativity! get it, phil's bombs are dropping all over the place--